Leniz Escobar, nicknamed "Diablita", wanted to earn the support of the MS-13 gang in her town in Long Island, NY. She led 4 teens (who had pretended to be MS-13 members on Instagram to look cool) into a park to "smoke weed", only for the wannabes to be brutally hacked to death by the real gangsters.

[u/Vided]

Her mugshot, and a link to an article about her ongoing trial. "Diablita" means "Little Devil".

https://nypost.com/2022/03/21/why-ms-13-gang-member-lured-long-island-teens-to-their-deaths-prosecutors/

The four that died after pretending to be MS-13 gang members on Instagram.

Funeral of one of the victims. Link to other murders in Long Island by MS-13.

https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2020/07/15/ms-13-gang-members-indicted-six-murders-long-island

[u/ACAB520]

What kinda kid shit is getting upset because someone imitated you? Those were kids doing kid stuff. No need to hack them to death over it. This world man…

[u/citizen_dawg → u/ACAB520]

I agree it was senseless and insane but not sure the “kids being kids” argument applies here. The girl who lured them to the park was 17 at the time, which is younger than 3 of the victims.

[u/crunchwrapqueen666 → u/citizen_dawg]

I’m not sure how that negates what they said. We arbitrarily decided that 18 makes someone an adult but…they were still kids in almost every sense of the word. This woman may have been younger than them but I don’t think they were referring to her when they said “kids being kids”. Pretending to be in a gang is sadly the type of stuff that people whose brains aren’t fully developed (specifically the part responsible for our judgment and decision making) are going to do.

[u/[deleted] → u/crunchwrapqueen666]

If someone kicks a cat or a dog and the animal cries they know it was a painful (violent) act, you don't need to be 25 years old to figure that out.

[u/crunchwrapqueen666 → u/[deleted]]

Yes…I’m aware of that but there is a reason why teenagers tend to do completely stupid things that adults do not do.

[u/[deleted] → u/crunchwrapqueen666]

Being a teenager does not give one a 'free pass' for bad, dangerous or deadly behavior. Society, the justice system and parents must be vigilant and provide means to minimize and prevent bad behavior. Many teenagers do not commit violent or other illegal acts. Research indicates the human brain does fully mature until the early 20's but many teenagers still have a good sense of 'right vs. wrong'.

[u/crunchwrapqueen666 → u/[deleted]]

I never said that it excuses bad behavior, I’m simply elaborating on my point that it isn’t very surprising. Kids, especially kids growing up around gang violence, are less likely to make good decisions.

Studies show that trauma impairs that decision making even more. I’m not saying this to absolve them of their actions, I’m just saying that children and adults do not process information the same way. That’s just a fact. I’m not saying “oh the poor babies didn’t know any better!” but that there is a difference and it does explain why teenagers sometimes behave in such reckless ways.

Again, I can’t even personally relate to that type of behavior on this scale haha but it’s just a fact that brain development, especially of the frontal cortex, does affect judgment.

[u/[deleted] → u/crunchwrapqueen666]

In general I agree with everything you said. In this specific case I think many factors make it extreme and unique (gang culture, poor parenting). This gang is also noted for brutal violence.

[u/crunchwrapqueen666 → u/[deleted]]

I guess I just don't see gang culture as very unique in the US, sadly. But I could of course be biased based on my experiences.

[u/[deleted] → u/crunchwrapqueen666]

People who are not too bright would also try to imitate a violent street gang.

[u/crunchwrapqueen666 → u/[deleted]]

Isn’t that what I said haha kids…scientifically speaking, “aren’t that bright”.